Tristan Mize, Bryan, Texas wins the average title on 277 Dirty Little Secret at the Red Wilk Tuff Hedeman Bull Bash in Huron, South Dakota

Red Wilk Construction Tuff Hedeman Bull Bash

Debuting at his first Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour, 21-year-old Tristan Mize found his way to the winners circle to accept the custom created trophy belt and check from Tuff Hedeman and Red Wilk for the average title of the Red Wilk Construction Tuff Hedeman Bull Bash. For two days the bucking bulls enjoyed the spotlight ruling over the 88 outs. 12 riders posted qualified rides with Tristan Mize and Trey Holston finishing at the top of the results sheet for the two events in Huron, South Dakota.

Coming to Huron for the first time under his newly titled Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour, 40 bull riders faced off with world-class bucking bulls in five rounds of intense, high energy man vs beast competition that entertained the overflow crowd packed into the South Dakota State Fair Grandstands.

The Red Wilk Construction Bull Bash celebrated its 15th year as the opening show that kicked off the 135-year-old State Fair tradition in South Dakota. Four-time World Champion and Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Tuff Hedeman and local businessman Red Wilk produced the fan favorite two-night event featuring a passionate patriotic American Hero Ceremony celebrating the lives of 24 Veterans of War.

“We would not be in Huron without Red Wilk, we share the same ideas and values in producing great entertainment and the ceremony honoring the freedom that we all experience every day is truly amazing and honoring the service record of some of the most decorated war heroes is a privlege,” said Hedeman.

Round One

Matt Palmer was the first to score riding 26Y Savage Moves (Whinant/Shaw) for 86.5. Rookie Brandon Davis took the veteran bull 9100 Kojack for an 86 points spin followed by Trey Kimzey who refused to let go of 99 Nine-0 as he survived the 85.5 first round score. Mize fought with American Dream (Smokin Guns Rodeo) in the chute had this to say about his 4.24.

“My long round was a really good bull, but he gave me a fit in the chute and I did not like the way I took him, he squatted in the chutes and wanted to beat me out of the box and he did, I was behind from the get go,” said Mize who advanced to the Semifinal round on time ridden.

“I like to get them right when there is a lot of money on the line, and I do this for a living, so I take my time and want to take them standing correctly,” added Mize.

The next generation would take a back seat on the leaderboard after veteran rider David Hudson rode 08 Eightball (Burruss Bucking bulls) and took the lead with an 87.

Semifinal Round

With only four qualified rides in round one, eight riders advanced to the second round on time ridden. The cool windy nights continued to increase the bull’s attitudes as they almost bucked a shut out in the semifinal round. Mize, the only rider to make 8, would thrill the crowd with his 88 point domination of Jeff Harris’ bull rider favorite, 277 Dirty Little Secret.

“I got on a really nice bull, and all my buddies said he was the one to have and it worked out he was a really good bull. I didn’t know any of the bulls here, but I knew Jeff from early in my career when I competed in CPRA (Cowboy Professional Rodeo Association) in Texas when I was younger - and he helped me out,” said Mize.

“I didn’t know any and Tuff went over them with me and I just picked one of the one’s he said went left, really just a guess,” he said about selecting Gray Ghost to help him win the bulk of the $30,000 prize money.

David Hudson’s 87 point ride from round one put him in at second and he selected 218 Kicks and Giggles, Palmer and Davis advanced on 86.5 and Palmer selected A17 Slingin (Whisnant and Shaw) which left the rookie Brandon Davis with 67B Bumble Bee (Whisnant and Shaw).

Hedeman’s Shoot Out is a winner take all round. In Huron, Mize watched his three opponents all buck off before the 8-second whistle. As the last rider to attempt the bulk of the $30,000 prize purse, the PRCA cowboy currently 23 in the World Standings, had this to say about his buck off and financial missed opportunity.

“He was a really good bull, he had a little bit of push back and if I had known that I would have slid my rope back - at about the four second mark he started pulling me down real hard over his head and I never could recover from it,” said Mize.

Mize who is in a battle to make the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas enjoyed his first trip to the Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour.

“The crowd was great which helps a lot because the energy gets you pumped up, I really like the tour and being free to go anywhere and get on a lot of good bulls, my favorite thing is to ride bulls so this is great,” said Mize.

The Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour format is designed that if no rider makes the 8 seconds in the final four man Shoot Out round the prize money carries over to the next event. The prize purse at the next event will be approximately $53,250.

THBRT Bull Team Competition

Mike Rawson took the bull team competition both nights winning a total of $46,000.

In the first night of competition his trio of buckers were the only team to earn two qualified ride scores from Javier Garcia who rode Houdini Martini for 85 and Kritter Lamb went 87 on Kojack. His third bull, Spanky, was 85.5 bull score with Dyland Madsen going 4.16 seconds to add to the equation.

Lyndal Hurst and Tom Baker were second with 275.82 points. Led by Tristan Mize’s 87 points on 43X Sheriff, Hurst and Baker used 3404 Cimarron and 231 Fire N Ice who both bucked off their opponents.

Third place was JQH (272.85) with their team leader 4015 Carnival Ride who assisted Jeff Ramagos to 87 points and a third-place check.

Fourth was Smokin Guns Rodeo Bulls with 272.85 total points and one qualified ride from Coy Pollmeier on B32 American Dream.

The highest marked rank bull score of the Wednesday night competition was 12B Hellfire (88 pts) from Whisnant and Shaw.

Rinse and repeat, Rawson wins again with 274.31 points and his anchor was chute favorite 9100 Kojack. Second place was Jeff Harris with 273.17 points. Garrett Burruss earned 272.82 points flanking. Whisnant and Shaw were fourth with 272.03 pts.